Improvement in book-stitching machines



Patented Nov. 27, I877.

' TOR: M

ATTORNEYS.

NPETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. D O.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT @FFIGE.

CARL THEINE, OF MINDEN, PRUSSIA, GERMANY.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOOK-STITCHING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 197,575, dated November27, 1877; application filed July 30, 1877..

v purpose of stitching the large numbers of painphlets, catalogues,school-books, diaries, periodicals, and other publications, in a quickerand more superior manner than heretofore, so that the annoying detachingor getting loose of the leaves may be avoided, and so that they may befinished with a neater exterior and at considerably less cost.

The main difficulty in book-stitching machines was found in the breakingof the needle when forced through layers of paper of certain thickness,and also in the considerable power required to force the needle throughgreater thicknesses of paper. of the needle was avoided to some extentby the use of oil or other lubricating substances, which, however, isobjectionable, as the paper is smirched, and as too much time is lost inlubricating the needle for each stitch.

For the purpose of overcoming these difficulties I have arranged, inconnection with the needle, a receptacle filled with a lubricant ofcertain consistency and slow flow, such as soft soap, the needle beingpassed through the same and covered over its entire length for eachstitch, so as to facilitate its working.

For the purpose of accelerating the working of the machine, the articlesto be stitched are fed in continuous manner to the needle, and

. the upper thread passed through ligLuid glue,

so as to hold the parts more securely together.

The folded sheets of the books, pamphlets, &c., are, before being passedthrough the machine, connected by gluing at the back, and thencontinuously and successively passed through the same, where they arestitched,

The breaking along the backs, the threads being finally out I and acontinuous feed and guide arrangement that is adjustable for thedifferent sizes and thicknesses of books.

In describing the invention, 1 will first refer in general terms to theparts-constructed in the nature of a sewing-machine, then point out myimprovements thereon, and give, finally, a short description of theoperation of the machine, together with the points of novelty of thesame. I

By referring to the drawings, A represents the table of my improvedbook-stitching machine, which supports, on a horizontal top standard orarm, B, the upper shaft G, that imparts motion to the needle-bar, thelower shaft 0 imparting motion to the shuttle and feed'device. 4 p

The upper and lower shafts are revolved by suitable gearing andfly-wheel, either by hand, foot, or other power.

The upper shaft 0 engages, by a crank-disk and pin, a, the heart-shapedcam 12 of the needle-bar D, to the lower end of which the needle issecured by a suitable clamp-screw.

The needle-bar is reciprocated by this mechanism so as to pass throughthe paper, form the loop in returning, and, finally, draw the threadtight, in the usual manner, when arriv .ing at the highest position.

The lower shaft 0 revolves, by a double crank, 01, a second front shaft,0 and operates, by a second crank, cl, the reciprocatingshuttlc-carriage, in the customary manner.

The front shaft 0 carries two eccentriccamsa smaller cam, e,'for raisingthe feed;

plate E, and a larger cam, e, for engaging the guided and spring-actedfeed-rod 0 so asto move the same forward and allow of its return.

The length of stitch is controlled by an adjusting-screw, 6", having aleather or other cushion, against which the feed-rod e strikes on itsreturn motion. The lower thread is arranged in the shuttlein the usualmanner, while the upper thread is conducted from the spool, firstthrough an eye of the rotary disk of a tension-cylinder, f, then once ortwice around the same, and through two' eyes, f and, lastly, into areceptacle, f for liquid glue. The receptacle f has a lateral slide, fwith guide-slit at the lower or bottom edge, along which the thread ispassed, so as to be kept continually immersed in the glue. The threadthen passes upward and out between the cover, and a piece of rubberpressed against the same, which removes the surplus glue fiom the threadand conducts it back into the reservoir. The thread, being thussaturated with glue, is passed over the outer rounded-oil end of thecover to the fixed eye 9 of the arm B, then through a second eye, g, ofthe needle-bar, to a spring-tension, g and, finally, through a hole inthe set-screw to the needle.

The presser-bar,F has a foot-plate, F, of enlarged size, for the purposeof holding firmly the book orother article during the stitching,

and exerting the necessary pressure thereon during the forward motion.The presser-bar is raised by means of a lever, h, that engages a squarepin for retaining the same in raised position. i

To prevent, during the stitching of the books, the descent of thepresser-foot beyond a certain point, a slotted adjustable guide-piece,i, is arranged on the presser-bar, which guide forms contact with astop-pin, i.

Below the guide-piece t is secured, to the resser-bar, a yoke, I, thatserves for the support of the needle-lubricating reservoir G, which isfurther secured by a brace-connection with the presser-plate. The upperpart'of the reservoir is made of cylindrical shape, so as to guide asliding and springacted piston, G, that presses on the lubricatingmaterial, and feeds it through an aperture at thelower curved andtapering end of the reservoir to the needle, the needle passing throughthe aperture, so as to 'be covered by the lubricating material over itsentire surface, and prevent thereby any turning or breaking of theneedle when piercing the layers of paper in stitching.

The books to be stitched have to be guided in uniform manner to theneedle, which is accomplished by means of parallel rectangular guides HH, of which the guide H is attached in fixed position, and the guide Hin adjustable position, to the table A, so as to be adjusted to the sizeof the books, and press them against the fixed guide.

The steady and automatic forward motion of the books is accomplished, inconnection with the feed-plate and presser-foot, by means of two endlessbelts,I I, of rubber or other elastic material, and by a number ofspringacted presser-rolls, I, which are guided in standards of the fixedguide.

The lower belt I runs in a shallow groove of the tableA, so as to beflush with the same, and is stretched at both ends over upper and lowerguide-rollers, which are adjustableim slots to admit the tightstretching of the belt.

The upper belt I is laid over three rollers, of which the two lower onesare arranged in slotted bearings at both ends of the table A, and theupper one in slotted bearings atthe end of a vertical extension of thearm B. The three rollers admit not only the stretching of the upper'beltI, but also the adjustment of the same into higher or lower position,according to the thickness of the books to be stitched.

The presser-rolls I of the fixed guide H exert a constant pressure onthe upper belt, and by the same on the connected sheets of paper placedbetween the belts I I, so that by the forward motion of the feed-platenot only the book below the needle, but the whole series of booksbetween the belts, is moved for an equal distance, and thus continuouslyand uniformly fed forward, to be subjected to the stitching action ofthe needle.

Operation: The folded sheets are first arranged back to back, andconnected by glue, the books so formed being inserted, when dry,

between the feedbelts of the machine. The

machine is then set in motion, and thereby the books stitchedsuccessively, the stitch being formed by the threads of the needle andshutas, in the customary manner, and the feed produced by the feed-platewhen the stitch is formed in connection with the belts andpressure-rolls. The feed-plate returns after eachforward motion, andexposes the adjoining portion of the book to the needle, which pierceseasily the paper as it descends for each stitch through the perforatedend of the lubricating-- reservoir. The stitching is continued as longas books are fed to the feed-belts, and the books taken oif at theopposite end, where the threads are cut and the books then provided withthe covers. Books, pamphlets, 850., of

from twenty to thirty millimeters in thickness may be stitched withgreat rapidity.

The upper thread gives, when saturated with glue, an additional hold tothe thread,

and retains the connection of the same with the heels, even in case thethread should break. In case it is desired to work with warm glue, asuitableheating device may be arranged in connection with theglue-reservoir on the main arm of the machine.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent-- l. The combination, with the reciprocating needle,of a lubricating-receptacle attached to the prcsser-bar, and having anaperture at its lower end for the passage of the needle, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth,

2. The combination, with theneedle, of a tapering lubricating-reservoir,having an aper- .ture at its lower end for the passage of the needle,and a spring-acted piston at its upper end, for keeping up a regularsupply of the lubricant, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the presser-foot and feed-plate, of adjustableupper and lower feed-belts, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

4. The combination, with the presser-foot and feed-plate, of adjustableupper and lower feed-belts, and of fixed and laterally-adjustableguides, substantially as specified. v

5. The combination of the feedplate,

ing on the upper feed-belt, substantially as set forth.

Witnesses:

E. STOCKMANN, L. Bi'INTE.

CARL THEINE.

